Drier tray



Patented Oct. 7, 1930 y UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlCfE ctAssIUs DERING, orsrocxfroiv, CALIFORNIA DRIEB. TRAY Application led December 9, 1929-. Serial No. 412,699.

This invention relates to drier trays on which fruit to be dehydrated is spread, and particularly to the relatively long trays now being extensively used for this purpose.

Such trays for obvious reasons must be relatively light so that they can be easily handled, and must also be constructed so as to be capa-- ble of being stacked one on the other without interfering with the free passage of air transversely between the trays. lt is therefore impossible to make the trays so that their sides can contact with each other, and yet without some support intermediatetheir ends the trays tend to sag down considerably due to their length and to their relatively nonrigid character. Y

The principal object of my invention is to provide the necessary central support for the trays when stacked together so arranged that no interference with the free passage of air transversely of and between the trays is had, nor is the free scraping of the fruit from the tray interfered with; and which does not prevent any tray when not in use from resting flatly on the ground or other similar fiat supporting surface.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of parts as willfully appear by a perusal of the following specication and claims. 7

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the severalv views:

Fig. l is a perspective elevation of a pair of a trays showing my improved attachment or 0 supporting means.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged transverse section of a tray. Y

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings, the

tray comprises side rails l, end bars 2 and 3 at each end secured to and extending above and below the side rails in spaced relation to each other, and a transverse cleat 4 centrally between the ends of the tray under the side rails and secured to the same. The lower edges of the bars 3 andthe cleat 4 are allV on the same lcvelso that the tray Vwill, rest firmly on a flat'surfaca v l l Extending fromend to end jof thetray in` transversely spaced-relation to each other are the fruit supporting slats' 5. Theends of these slats lit between theend bars 2 fand with their lower edges onthe level `witlithe corresponding edges of,` ithe `,rails l. TheV slats being considerably thinnerthan said rails the latter form upstanding side flanges for the fruitfsupporting area ofthe tray. When the trays are stacked the upperend bars 2 of onetray engage andsupport thecorresponding lower-end bars 3 of the tray above, as shown in Fig. l, andthe side bars ofthe trays are then firmly spaced from each other from end to end as theymust be to permit of the necessary unobstructed flow of air @transversely between the trays andover thefruit supported thereon. v j` i y The means I use to prevent saggingof the trays centrally between their ends,comprisesl blocksV 6 disposed immediately over the central cross cleat 4:. rlhese blocks areA rabbeted with the siderails as shown in Fig. y2,'sothat they notonly bear `against thev top' surface ofthe side rails but a'lso'downj the inner edges" `of the same as well, and also across ,the adj a'- cent slats 5. The top surface of theblocksy in theplane of the side rails is horizontal and onthe same tlevelvasthe top ofthe yend bars 2 ,but inwardly of said barstheblocks pref-7' erably slope downto relatively thin edges at their inner terminations. Nails 7 are driven through theblocks and adjacent' parts and into the cleat` 4 thereunder-fand will` firmly hold the blocks in placer- The rabbetfi't of the* blocks with the side rails also tends Vto stiffen them and Aprevent'any tendency to looseness developing in"use,while enabling the said blocks to be made quite'narrow'lasis desirable.'- The blocks as above statedarekept narr-ow lengthwiseof the tray'so as not tointerfere materially `with the transverse passage ofr air between the trays. Said blocks alsondo` not extend continuously across the tray, butonly a relatively small distance, since this" would seriously interfere with the `ready placing of thefruit on andrthe removal ofthe sameA from the tray. At the same time the length of the blocks is sufficient to enable at least a pair of nails to be used in securing each one of the same, as is of course desirable, without the danger of the nails splitting the block. The blocks being the same height as the upper end bars 2 the corresponding bars 3 and the central cleat of a superimposed tray, and which members are all on the same level, will rest firmly on said end bars 2 and blocks 6 without any sagging or teetering of the upper tray being had. Y

From the foregoing description it will fbe readily seen that I have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the inventionvasset forth herein. Y

jlVhile this ,specificationV sets forth .in detail thepresent and preferred construction of the device, still in practice -such deviations. from suchvdetail may be resorted toas do-not form a departure from the spirit of the invention,

`as defined by the appended claims.

' Having thus described my invention .what y I claim as new and useful and ydesire to secure byfLetters Patent is: Y

l. A drier'tray including -side rails, end cross bars extending both aboveand below said rails, a. cross lcleatunder and secured tov the side rails intermediate ltheirfends; the

under surfaces of said cleatand the lower*V end bars being on `the same level, and blocks narrow in the longitudinal tplane of the tray secured on the side rails directly over the cross cleat; the top of said blocks being on the same level as the top of the upper end bars.

2. A 'drier tray including side rails, end cross bars extending both above land below said railsal cross `cleat under and secured to the 4side* rails intermediate their ends; the under surfacesof said cleat and .the lower end bars being o n the same level, and blocks narrow -in .the longitudinal, plane of the tray secured on the side railsdirectly over the cross cleat, and adapted to :engage the cross cleat of a superimposed tray while the correspond- I ing end bars of the trays are engaged with each other; the length of the blocks being greater thantheir `width andextending transversely of the Ytray for short distances only inwardlyof'the side rails.

3K.r A structure jas in claim 2,;with securing nails, spaced longitudinally of the blocks,

securing the same to the side rails and to the cross cleat therebelow. y

A drier vtray including side rails, end crossbars extending both Iabove and below said-rails, andspacedslats yformingthe supporting surface of the tray and of a lesser height than the side rails, and a cross cleat under and securedto the side rails'and slats centrally of the length of the tray; the under surfaces of said cleat and the lower Vend bars being on the same level, and blocks narrow in the longitudinal plane of the tray disposed on the side rails directly above the cross cleat CASSIUS DERING. 

